HI HB1233

Requires all Hawaii counties to adopt ordinances regulating retention and detention ponds, including establishing permitting processes for new pond construction and safety standards

Mandates safety requirements including 4-foot-high fencing with locked gates, "No Swimming" signs warning of sudden water level changes, life buoys at entry points, landscaped buffers, and emergency spillways

Requires counties to maintain registries of all retention and detention ponds and conduct periodic inspections to ensure compliance with safety and maintenance regulations

Counties must conduct surveys of all existing ponds within their jurisdictions and submit findings and recommendations to the legislature by twenty days before the 2026 regular session

Appropriates unspecified grant-in-aid funds to the City and County of Honolulu and the counties of Hawaii, Kauai, and Maui for fiscal years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 to conduct surveys and adopt regulations